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Apple reports unexpected fall in iPhone sales

US tech giant Apple has seen sales of its iconic iPhones dropping in its second fiscal quarter. The company downplayed the dip, saying customers had held back because of an upcoming anniversary edition.

Apple announced it sold 50.76 million iPhones in its fiscal second quarter that ended on April 1, down from 51.19 million units a year earlier.

Conflict-free smartphones

Under pressure from shareholders to hand over more of its $250-billion-plus hoard of cash and investment, Apple boosted its capital return program by $35 billion and raised its quarterly dividend by 10.5 percent.

Investors appeared unmoved, sending the company's share price down by 1.9 percent at $144.65 in after-hours trading.